Shipper mechanism for excavating shovels



Nov. 6, 1945. R. A. BEcKwlTH I SHIPPER MECHANISM FOR EXCAVATING SHOVELS 6 sheets-sheet A1 Filed NOV. 15, 1944 Now-6, 1945. R. A. BEcKwlrH 2,388,305

SHIPPER MECHANISM FOR EXCAVATING SHOVELS Filed'Nov. 15, 1944 e sheets-sheet 2 Nov. 6, 1945. 'R; A. BEcKwm-l 2,388,305

SHIPPER MECHANISM FOR EXCAVATING SHOVELS Filed No`v. 15, 1944 e sheets-sheet s Nv. 6, 1945. R. A. BEcKwlTH i 2,388,305

SHIPPE MECHANISM FOR EXCAVA'IING SHOVELS Fi1ed Nov. 15, 19491 e sheets-sheet 4 f Nov. 6, 1945. R. A. BEcKwlTH K 2,388,305

`SHIPPER MECHANISM FOR EXCAVATING SHOVELS Filed Nov. `v15, 1944 e sheets-sheet 5 .A

Nov.l 6, 1945. I R, A. EsEcKwl-.rH 2,388,305,

SHIPPER MECHANISM FOR EXCAVATINCT SHOVELS Filed Nov. 15, `1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Nov. 6, 1945 STT'EJ" UNI-A D we v f r of Raymond Pfetref'treeaei l f l Application November 15, 1.1244,` Serial No. 563,546

This invention-involves improvements l in certain. operating Y mechanism yof f excavating mae chinos of the'shovel. excavatingttype.-` The-con" struction of shoveLto `which mypresent improve# ments primarily relate involves the employment ot 'the usual boom equipped Vwith dipper sticks carrying the clipper proper, l"which dippersticks areracked out andfinor the Lthrusting ofV -the clipper' intothe 1earth for` reicavating and i with-- drawa'liof tledipper for unloading, respectively. A' common'itypeof shov'el excavator ofthe' above construction involves the use offalsh-ipper shaft on the bOOmQLWhichsh-ipper shaft is driven by a sprocket Vchain bonntiomwith a-sprocketon and adapted?Y to v-drive the l'shipperA shaft AObviously, 'the driving sprocket A mustlbejcouplederig-- idly `to 4the 'shipper ishaftMpinions which--engage the racks of vthe dippers'tick-or sticks;and owing to" the heavy and sudden #driving-loads transniitted- 'toi theA driven sprocket connectedtowtheA shipper shaft' connections betweenthesprocket andi said' shaft" heretofore proposed break down from time to time becausethey Iproveinadequate tostan'd up under operating conditions; such` connections" oftenwcomprisin'g. keys,Vv tapers with keys, bolted flanges, or the like Obviously, the foregoing requires?L cos'idrablefrepa-irs -=inthe e'ld; "ardin the past this featureotthe-sprock-et drive shipper shaft pinions-or-shipper shaft unit has been .a' weakness uof fthe rmachine,u aside from' them'ainten-anc cost of replacement-otwornor broken' parts at this pointV ofthe machine construction. .t l 'On `.phase of my .present im-proved invention lies, therefore,A in the provisionofnoveldneansffor connecting the driven sprocket at` thewshipper shaft with the shipper shaf-tpinions'- that engage tlie' racks ofi the tdipper stick-orrstickswherebyf thecorinecting mean'svbetween the said'partseisef a rigid nature and-does awaywiththe-disadvani tagedus-break-'downs that have heretofore been' experienced i due to fthe `heavy driving-torque transmitted to. the" shipper-:shaft -pinions` fromv the ,operating mechanism for lthefsprocket chain that carries' thedrive from thehoperatingmechanismin thev cab ofthe" shovelto I the -dipper stick. A second primary ir'nprovementof my present inr ven'tion relating also tothe shipper-smechanism` referred to 'comprises .novelf'provisions for the mounting" 1ofth-e shippershaft in the boomstruc ture such that'said shaft maybe moved bodily relatively .to the. boom .whereby tot carry with it the driven sprocket loperated-loy the-sprocket chain dri'ye,. and this manner enable vthetadj (C1-@Meest Milwaukee, Wis., assignor tflKhringiUompany, Milwaukee, Wis., a cordriven i sprocket toA take'rup slack^in the" driving sprocket-chain that' engages the driven sprocket.

IThis latterfprovision"of'novel mounting "means for the-shipperi shaft vinvolves eccentricA supporti ing ^membe`rs-on-thev lboom in "whichrtlie" shipper shaft is mountedg and" ai lfrther *importantl im`` provementkof thisinventioid` residesin provisions wherebyA the eccentric niouifiting*'meansmaforel` saidwcan be mechanically Aoperateduriderthe power of the movementofthe shipper pinioris as driven by the -driverf sprocket"cohnected" there" with; -for effecting ethe'varia'tio" in"r the" "axial position of'thefshipper shaft upon the boom for "Myinventionfin its u`preferred""adaptations is described in :detail the'` following 'specification andis illustrated in the accompanying drawings in `Vvlfliclfl: s le; .ee- ,.fv fr' VFig-ure flfisfa sectional viewtransversely :of j the boom-of myshovelfexcavator, illustrating there# lation Aof the'fdipper sticks,"-supporting` saddles' therefor; shippershaft, driven sprocket" "orrsaid shaft, -and "theconnections*between the" ldriven" rf sprocket and the shipper pinions, including asso-` Figure 2 is"a toprplan view illustrating the shipper r-shaftyrshipperI pihion'sffan'd" driven sprocketf preliminary f to" the movement of "th'epinions'intof interlocked relation to the "'sprc'iclaet;y the double jaws ofthe sprocket being illustrated clearly--inr association with,"bi1t separated "from, the single ja-wsof 'the'fshipper pinion sleeves.l

boom; structure illustrating theshipper "sliaft"ir`i i spro'cketfor the shippershaftlalone.

justment of the shipper shaft as rthe axis of the sup-portingmember* units. "f

section-and showing more nclearly the" e'ceerit'rl supportingpinionsfforsad shaft-fand means to holdthlatterin adjusted positions.

:Figure-@is enlarged-side viewf the driven :Figure 51 is 'a vvltial sectional* View sprocketv as illustrated"iir'T'igure"4. `figur-e6 isfanendviewwf `the shipper pinion and sleeve; looking from one endthereo'f.` Figure 7 -is asectional view ofthe shipper sleevel and pinion unitil f f 'f -Figur 8fisa'n opposite end view of the shipper sleevel'an'dpinioniunit.

-Figure=9 is aside viewof one of the eccentric Figuref'10 is a View of one-half section of the unit'ofligure 9; i

Figurell is 'a side Vviewer-the `unit of Figure 9,

looking in adirection opposite from that of said Figure 12 is a side vew of one of the pinion engaging members for connecting an eccentric supporting member for the shipper shaft with its adjacent shipper pinion, when adjusting said shipper shaft.

Figure 13 is an end view of the member shown in Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a side view of one of the horse shoe rings that cooperates with an associated eccentric supporting member. g A, y

Figure 15 is a detail view of one of the connecting plates for the sections of the eccentric supporting members.

Figure 16 is a view showing more clearly the saddle mounting and shipper mechanism units of the shovel dipper.

Describing the features of my improvements in detail, I refer iirst generally to Figure 16 of the l drawings wherein there is illustrated partially the boom I in which the shipper shaft 2 is mounted,l

as will be more fully explained hereinafter, the said shaft 2 supporting the saddle blocks 3 which guide and support the dipper sticks 4 in their sliding and swinging movement after known method of use and general construction. The dipper sticks 4 are equipped with the toothed racks 5 which engage the'shipper pinions 6 disposed on the shipper shaft 2 as an axis. The usual shoes 'I maintain the dipper sticks 4 in their racking engagement with the shipper pinions 6.

Directly describing the shipper mechanism of my invention, reference is made particularly to Figure 1 wherein the boom I is seen in cross section and the other parts previously referred to are designated and visible. The shipper shaft 2 is provided with bearings 8 for the saddle blocks 3 and said shaft 2 carries at the middle portion thereof the driven sprocket 9 which is connected by a sprocket chain I0, only partially shown, with driving sprocket means at the base of the boom, the latter not shown and in turn driven from the driving mechanism which is mounted in the cab or body of the shovel crane. The last mentioned mechanism is well known inthe art and is not illustrated since it does not form any part of my invention.

The driven sprocket 9 is keyed at Il to the shaft 2 Ibut this means does not in any way carry the driving torque of the sprocket gear 9 to the shipper pinions 6. Practically speaking, it is merely a positioning key connection between the parts 9 and 2.

Each shipper pinion 6 is formed with an integral sleeve member IZeXtending from one side of the pinion, and this sleeve is provided at its inner end, as seen best in Figures 2 and 6, with single jaw members I3 which are of considerable lengh and adapted to interlockingly engage with pinions 6. The above provision affords a rigid and strong interlocking connection between the parts 9 and 6, a connection which cannot easily become broken, and one on which there is practically no wear because the jaws I3 fit snugly and tightly between the jaws I4, and, therefore, breakage, damage, looseness, or undue play between the members Sand I2 is not possible with the resultant disadvantages that would vbe incident thereto.

The pinions 6 with theirv sleeves I2 rotate relatively to the boom, and for mounting these parts along with the shaft 2 passing therethrough upon the boom I provide eccentric supporting members II, the eccentric circular peripheries of which are seated in suitable openings in the side members of the boom I. The eccentric supporting members I are formed with eccentric openings that receive the narrow diameter portions centrally located on the sleeves I2. Suitable bearings I8 are interposed between the circular openings of the eccentric members II and the sleeves I2. The eccentric members I'I are shown in Figures 9, 10, and 11, and in order to emplace the same around the sleeves I2 each of these members is made in two half sections brought together to encircle the sleeve I2 cooperating therewith. Each of the eccentric members I'I comprises a flange I9, and screw bolts 29 are employed to bolt said flanges through openings in the adjacent section of the boom I, said screw i bolts 20 screwing intohorse shoe rings 2l, seen best in` Figure 14, by which connecting means the eccentric members II are firmly attached to the boom. It is notable, however, that the boom sides are provided with a series of circularly arranged openings through which the bolts 20 pass in effecting their attachment of the eccentric members II to the boom, and it is contemplated that the eccentric members may be turned slightly in the openings of the boom in which they are mounted, said openings designated 22, in order that by shifting the eccentric members,rela tively small movement may be imparted to the shaft 2 to vmove the latter toward orV from the spaced jaw 'members I 'i carried by an adjacent side of the driven sprocket 9. Of course the sprocket 9 is the rotating driven element which carries the driving torque to the dipper sticks 4 through the pinions B and the racks 5, and it will be apparent that when the shipper parts just described are assembled on the shaft 2 as shown in Figure 2, they may be forced together so that the jaws I3 interlock with the jaws I4, and thereupon the flange portions I5 of the sleeves I2 with which the jaws I3 are integrally formed will be attached to the sprocket 9 by means of the bolts I5 disposed at intervals around the circular area of the iianges I5. In this manner the bolts I6 clamp the jaws I3 and I4 in positive interlocking relation so that the driving torque of the sprocket gear 9 will be transmitted by means of the said jaws to the sleeve I2 and therefore to the Shipper.

base of theboom, and thereby correspondingly move the driven sprocket gear 9. This shifting of the eccentrics I'I rotatively will ,be accomplishedin the proper setting of the shipper shaft 2in the assembly of the machine, but the primary object of this eccentric mounting for the sleeves I2 and the shaft 2 is to enable the shaft 2 to be moved short distances from the foot of the boom in order to take up slack in the sprocket chain IIJ that connects the driven sprocket gear 9 to the driving sprocket gear, not shown, but which is located usually at the vfoot of the boom. Once the eccentric members I1 are turned to the desired adjustment for theshaft 2 andl the parts 6 and I2 and 9 on said shaft, the said eccentrics will be locked or held in their proper adjusted positions by means of the bolts 20 passed through the openings 23. Y

The turning of the eccentrics I'I for adjustment purposes would be a difficult matter in view of the assembly of the parts of my shipper mech-v anism without some special provision in this connection. I therefore provide means whereby I may utilize they driving force or torque that is communicated to the shipper pinions 6 for effecting'rotation of the eccentrics I Iin obtaining desired adjustments of the latter for'shifting of the'axis position of `the parts 2 and I,2 and 9, which'are practically a unit. With this in mind, I employ an engaging dog 24 such as'illustrated in Figuresl, 12, 13, and 176,Y andwhich is adapted to be removably applied, one to eachv eccentric I'I, after the manner shown in Figure 16, as by means of bolts 25. Each dog 24 is carried by a curved plate 26 having end openings through which bolts may be passed to bolt each dog to its associated eccentric at the openings 21 of the latter, see Figure 9. When so bolted to the associated eccentric I1, the dog 24 will be engaged between two teeth of the adjacent shipper pinion 6, see Figure 1. In this manner the shipper pinion is interlocked with its associated eccentric member I'I. Under these conditions, when power is applied to the sprocket 9 to turn the two pinions engaged by the dog 24, it will be apparent that the eccentric members II may be turned whatever distance is required for the adjustment of the shaft 2 to shift the latter for the tightening of the sprocket chain I0, as previously noted.

Once the adjustment is arrived at, the bolts 20,

having been previously removed to permit the turning of the eccentric members I'I when the eccentrics are located partly, may be replaced to lock the eccentrics in position and tightly clamp them to the boom sections of the boom I in which they are mounted.

Under the above conditions it is obvious that the power of the driving torque provided by the sprocket 9 may be availed of to shift the position of the shipper shaft 2 and parts supported thereon including said sprocket 9, and therefore no hand operation for turning the eccentrics I'I is required, an operation which would be dini- -cult in View of the type of construction which is provided.

In Figure 15 is shown a form of connecting plate 3l such as used for connecting together `the halves of the eccentric supporting members I'I for holding same assembled about the pinion sleeves I2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. Shipper mechanism for power shovels, comprising a boom, a shipper shaft, mounted onthe boom, a driving gear supported by said shaft,1 shipper pinions mounted on said shaft,Y dipper sticks having racks engaged by said shipper pinions, and connecting means between the shipper pinions and said driving gear comprising sleeves extending from the pinions to the driving gear at opposite sides of the latter, ends of said sleeves adjacent the driving gear and said driving gear having interlocking jaws for `transmitting the driving torque of the gear to the pinions, and fastening means common to the said sleeves for fastening them together and to the gear.

2. Shipper mechanism for racking in and crowding out the dipper sticks of an excavating shovely comprising a boom, a shipper shaft, sleeves in which said shaft is mounted supported on the boom, a driven gear on said shaft and arranged between said sleeves and connected to adjacent ends of the latter, eccentric members arranged on the boom and supporting the sleeves whereby on turning said eccentric members the sleeves, driven gear, and shipper shaft may be shifted bodily relatively to the boom, and shipper pins.

ions operated by said sleeves, and means operable from the sleeves to turn the eccentric members.

3. Shipper mechanism as claimed in claim 2, in which the sleeves are formed at their ends adjacent to the driven gear with jaws and in which the driven gear is provided with jaws interlocking with the jaws of the sleeves.

4. Shipper mechanism as claimed in claim 2, combined with members constituting the last means recited for connecting the eccentrics with shipper pinions, whereby driving torque transmitted to the shipper pinions may be used to turn the' eccentrics.

5. Shipper mechanism as claimed in claim 2, combined with members constituting the last means recited for connecting the eccentrics with shipper pinions, whereby driving torque transmitted to the shipper pinions may be used to turn the eccentrics, and comprising dogs attachable to the eccentrics and engageable between teeth of the shipper pinions.

6. Shipper mechanism for racking in and crowding out dipper sticks of a power shovel, including a shipper shaft, shipper pinions on said shaft, a boom, mounting means between said shaft and said boom for effecting bodily adjustment of the shaft, a driven gear carried by the shaft, and means for drivably connecting the shipper pinions to said mounting meansfor the shipper shaft to thereby move the latter and shift the shipper shaft, shipper pinionsl, and driven gear bodily relatively to the boom.

7. Shipper mechanism for racking in and crowding out clipper sticks of a power shovel, including a shipper shaft, shipper pinions on said shaft, a boom, mounting means between said shaft and said boom for effecting bodily adjustment of the shaft, a driven gear carried by the shaft, and means for drivably connecting the shipper pinions to said mounting means for the shipper shaft to thereby move the latter'and shift the shipper shaft, shipper pinions, and driven gear bodily relatively to the boom, and including members attachable to the mounting means for the shipper shaft and interengageable with the teeth of the shipper pinions.

RAYMOND A. BECKWI'I'H. 

